Of) My Waders Aviary. 



" fari three inches broad, while the outer web is of ordiuary size 

 "and bright stoel-bliie; tlie ])iirion ([uills are silvcu-y-gi'cy on the 

 "outer and stccly-lilue on the inner webs. There are other 

 " elegancies in tliis little haiiequiiTs ])!uinago, l>ut it would take 

 " too much space to describe them here, and the presence of the 

 "orange ruff and wing-fans, or of eitlier separately, is ciuite 

 " enough for identification. The bill is rose-red, tlic eyes dark, 

 " ana the feet dull orange with black webs." 



The fevinic is a sober-looking but dainty little bird, liut 

 " always recognisable by the conspicuous silvery-grey and steeiy- 

 " blue primary quills, wliich are like those of the male. Her 

 "general colour altove is i)lain brown, without any markings, 

 " shading to grey on the head and crest. Thei'c is a narrow 

 " white line round the eye, prolonged back into a streak. Her 

 " side.- are mottLed with creamy-buff, and the abihinien white as 

 " in the male. She has a horn-coloured 1)111 and olive feet. 

 "The vinle in undress is almost exactly like tiie fi^nale, more 

 " so than in any other Duck, which is cui-ir/us, seeiing his ex- 

 " travagance in attire when in full plumage. Tiie white round 

 " the eye, however, is less pronounced, and I he head is greyer. 

 " The only easy distinction, however, is the colour of the feet — 

 "in a ifresh specimien — for they always remain orange in the male; 

 " though his bill sometimes turns dull like tlie female's and some- 

 " times retains the beautiful rose tint of the full dress. Young 

 " males are like the old male in undress, and the young females 

 "like their mother." (Water fotrl of India and Asia.—V. Finn). 



The energetic demeanour of these birds forms one of 

 their most interesting characteristics, they are always in 

 evidence, the male displaying to or caressing his mate, or 

 again engaged in foraging; it is almost elegant! But T cannot 

 linger, or these notes will reach an undue length, it simply 

 remains for me to say, that if you have a Waders' aviary, 

 include a pair of Mandarins. 



iThe Knot (Tringa camHus. LINN.) Knots are un- 

 doubtedly the waders most frequently met with in captivity, 

 and I think they merit their popularity, for apart from being 

 hardy and readily accommodating themselves to a more or less 

 restrained existence, they are of a very attractive appearance 

 and soon become tame and confiding. 



Description: In breeding plumage the head and neck are 

 reddish -brown, with darker streaks; feathers of the mantle brow.ii- 

 ish-black, spotted with chestnut and margined with w.hite; upper 

 tail coverts white, barred with black; cheeks, throat and breast 

 rusty-red; remainder of under surface lighter rusty-red, with the 



